Curious News

[WillowTheWhisp]

Police teamed up with TV producers to create an elaborate sting in the guise of a game show to snare petty criminals.

A total of 17 people were arrested by Hampshire police working with the television channel Five to create The Great Big Giveaway Show.

Celebrities Neil and Christine Hamilton were employed to front the show with actor Darren Day brought in to provide a voice-over.

Police wrote to scores of men and women wanted for failing to pay fines or who had not answered court warrants, inviting them to the show.
The letters said they had the chance to win big cash prizes and a total of 20 were selected by police officers and asked to attend Portsmouth Guildhall on Sunday.

As the 'guests' arrived, they were greeted by Neil and Christine Hamilton, after being frisked by a police officer dressed in a dinner suit and having their identities checked.

After having make-up applied, the guests waited in a backstage room where they could hear a voice-over of Darren Day and a taped studio audience. But when they were called on to the stage area, they walked along a red carpet through a cloud of smoke into the hands of two uniformed police officers.

The proceedings were recorded by Five for the show, which is due to be shown later this year.


Out of the 20 guests, nine men and eight women were arrested, according to a spokeswoman for Hampshire police.

Eight of these were wanted for outstanding fines and nine were wanted on warrant for traffic offences, common assault, criminal damage, drink-driving, drugs or bail offences.

Police Superintendent Robin Jarman said: "This operation sends a clear message to all those that are wanted that we will use any lawful audacious tactics to bring them to book.''

But Barry Hugill, spokesman for civil liberties campaign group Liberty, said: "This has the ring of a Google Page Ranking stunt. I find this very distasteful.

"I clearly have no objection to the police tracking down petty offenders and people who have not paid their fines, but not if it becomes part of showbusiness."

Mr Hugill also questioned the need for the sting if police had the addresses of the suspects.

[KIPAX]

That last line is the point and what struck me at the start of this story.. This sort of sting is well known especialy in america and used many many years ago for finding people when they dont have the address..

Ya kinda already found them if you ahve the address

[Bazf]

Looks like its catching only we catch people without a fishing licence, oh yeah no civil liberties person to complain here.





Unlucky Winners Get Handcuffs
By THOMAS W. KRAUSE
[email protected]







TAMPA - The young red-haired woman smiled broadly as she walked through the curtain into the rear of an Ybor City storefront.

Why wouldn't she be smiling? She was just informed she had won her choice of three prizes: season tickets to the Bucs, a 42-inch plasma television or $1,000 cash.

Once behind the curtain, the young woman's face sank and her shoulders dropped.

``Oh no,'' she moaned as Tampa police officers placed her in handcuffs.

The woman, 32-year-old April Green, was one of 11 people arrested Wednesday in a law enforcement sting intended to lure area residents who have outstanding arrest warrants. Green was charged with violating her probation by writing worthless checks.

Charges against the others included domestic violence and dealing in stolen property. A sexual predator was charged with violating probation, police said. One 19-year-old man, Joshua Cain, was arrested on a warrant for fishing without a license and not having a life preserver.

Cain's mother, Beverlee Cain, said she thought it was ridiculous that police spent the time and energy to arrest her son on such a minor charge.

``Go get people who are real troublemakers in this world,'' she said.

Despite the small number of people arrested, police deemed the operation a success.

Last week, about 350 people received fliers inviting them to the opening of a new business in Ybor City. All Star Sports promotions, listed on the flier as ``a ticket broker of sorts,'' offered one of three expensive prizes. The business, however, is fictional. The prizes do not exist.

When the suspects walked into the lobby, they were asked to sign in and show a photo identification. Officers, posing as employees, ran the names through a computer to ensure the warrants were still outstanding. In a back room, more officers waited.

``They knew they had the warrants and it was just a matter of time until we caught up with them,'' said Tampa Officer Jamie Bryant, who borrowed the sting idea from similar operations in other cities. ``One lady just started laughing. She said, `You got me.' ''

Serving warrants the more traditional way, by knocking on suspects' doors, can be a difficult and dangerous job, Bryant said. Often people aren't home or they've moved. Sometimes, he said, the suspects have weapons hidden in their homes.

A few would-be winners arrived with friends, relatives or even children. Capt. Jill Ramsten said all of the suspects who came with children also came with another adult who could drive the children home. No children were allowed behind the curtain where the arrests were made, she said. The storefront, on 16th Street just off Seventh Avenue, was decorated and painted Tuesday by officers with the District 3 street crime unit.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Bazf

Serving warrants the more traditional way, by knocking on suspects' doors, can be a difficult and dangerous job, Bryant said. Often people aren't home or they've moved. Sometimes, he said, the suspects have weapons hidden in their homes.

I suppose that part sort of makes sense - get them all to turn up in one place for the price of a stamp or two instead of chasing after people who may have moved house, may not be home, or may have a gun or fierce doggie.

It does seem to smack of sensationalism though - especially the fact that it's going to be shown on TV.